Public Libraries: techno trends and collective memory

By public library I mean here a library providing some kind of universal access to its assets, one whose readership isn’t exclusively tied and restricted to a particular organization – including the generally called public libraries, but also many specialized libraries, such as the academic of the open kind. Despite all efforts, public libraries continue to face strong barriers to their participation in the information society. Participants of the World Meeting on the Future of the ISIS Software recognized that “the ISIS Software Family has a unique technological concept and developmental mission to cope with Information Storage and Retrieval Systems (ISRS), particularly for developing countries where the technology is widely known and used; that the ISIS Software Family has now fully embraced the Free and Open Source Software approach and the support of UNICODE structures to be fully open and multilingual” (Rio Declaration 2008), restating thus the persistent relevance of this software family. OSS (Coar 2006) is defined as software whose source code is freely available, therefore allowing for free inspection and/or utilization, i.e., it is available for study and use by everyone without any payment or any other barrier to access. the lack of technical skill in libraries, a situation that libraries share with much of the public and cultural sectors. The study of OSS ILS, and of the their adaptation to the needs of specific public libraries may be the solution to this. Library Management Systems) that enhances digital archive interoperability between a diverse range of libraries

O guia-intérprete: mediador intercultural

A citação acima resume a essência do turismo como fenómeno cultural, intercultural e global. Partindo deste pressuposto, propomos que o turismo intercultural seja examinado como uma interdisciplina, formada pela intersecção de outras disciplinas, tanto da área da Sociologia como das Humanidades. Numa abordagem intercultural cabem ainda sugestões de inserção de outras matérias. O papel de mediador cultural é desempenhado pelo guia-intérprete que detém o poder da informação. Esse poder permite-lhe influenciar tanto o turista como a comunidade de acolhimento. Se o guia usar correctamente o seu poder será parcialmente responsável pelo retorno do turista. O guia tem um papel crucial na promoção do destino através da satisfação do cliente. Este será também um óptimo promotor do destino, pelo fenómeno chamado “boca a boca”. Por outro lado, os guias-intérpretes põem o turista em contacto com a cultura local, utilizando um discurso com referências à escala global. Só desenvolvendo as necessárias competências interculturais, o guia-intérprete será capaz de transmitir com clareza a sua mensagem. Em que consiste o turismo intercultural? Qual o papel dos guias-intérpretes no estabelecimento de relações interculturais? Quais as competências interculturais que devem desenvolver os profissionais para comunicar com os clientes? Concluir-se-á que os guias-intérpretes estabelecem uma ponte segura e fiável entre os actores do turismo, desde que desenvolvam as necessárias competências interculturais

The Consequences of Guiding Profession Deregulation for the Status and Training of Tourist Guides: a Portuguese Overview

In the present neoliberal market economy, the so-called free tours and their unlicensed tourist guides found the perfect environment to practice their activity, which is often criticised by licensed guides. The overall difference between the two types of guides is related to the fact that licensed guides have a formal specific education and training to do their job, sometimes complemented with continuous professional development, whereas free tours’ guides don’t. Therefore, several questions come to mind: Since unqualified guides are actually working without any training, should there be any formal education for tourist guides? How useful is formal and continuous training for tourist guides? Are we training tourist guides properly? This paper tries to answer these questions using the Portuguese case. Besides the documental research and the reference works used for the theoretical approach, tour operators and higher institutions professors specialised in tourist guide training were questioned to develop the research. Then, a meeting with a focus group constituted of 10 licensed tourist guides was carried out. The results show what is being done at present to develop quality guiding, but they also light the path for future tourist guide education and training both from an initial and continuous perspective

Intercultural interpretation discourses, techniques and strategies used by tour guides in the Coach Museum, Lisbon : Eight issues

The Coach Museum in Lisbon houses one of the finest collections of coaches in the world. It is the second most visited museum in Portugal and it is often included in the Lisbon city tour. Tourist guides often perform visits to the museum. They are mediators between heritage and tourists, involving them not only in the collection but also in the life of the people who used the coaches. A guided tour to the museum can be either a nightmare or nice dream. It will be a nightmare if the guide conveys uninteresting information about the objects and vehicles exhibited, if s/he is centred on him/herself. But it can also be very lively and interesting if interpretation strategies are centred around the tourist and his/her culture. The aim of intercultural interpretation is to awaken different kinds of emotions in the tourist, from piety to amusement, using fantasy and reality. This paper discusses the different characteristics tourist guides’ interpretation assumes in Lisbon’s Coach Museum. The researcher heard the speech of fifty professional guides visiting the museum, during the months of September and October 2009. Data obtained were included in his PhD thesis. The anthropological technique applied is direct observation, defined as “direct involvement of the field researcher with the social group studied, within the parameters of the group standards” (Iturra, 1987: 149). The paper is divided into the following parts: introduction (including tourist information versus intercultural heritage interpretation, methodology, interpretation- eight issues, and final considerations. The observation of tourist guides in their working context allowed the identification of the intercultural skills developed by these professionals, the interpretative strategies adopted in communication, and some behavioural patterns of both guides and tourists.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Software evolution prediction using seasonal time analysis: a comparative study

Prediction models of software change requests are useful for supporting rational and timely resource allocation to the evolution process. In this paper we use a time series forecasting model to predict software maintenance and evolution requests in an open source software project (Eclipse), as an example of projects with seasonal release cycles. We build an ARIMA model based on data collected from Eclipse’s change request tracking system since the project’s start. A change request may refer to defects found in the software, but also to suggested improvements in the system under scrutiny. Our model includes the identification of seasonal patterns and tendencies, and is validated through the forecast of the change requests evolution for the next 12 months. The usage of seasonal information significantly improves the estimation ability of this model, when compared to other ARIMA models found in the literature, and does so for a much longer estimation period. Being able to accurately forecast the change requests’ evolution over a fairly long time period is an important ability for enabling adequate process control in maintenance activities, and facilitates effort estimation and timely resources allocation. The approach presented in this paper is suitable for projects with a relatively long history, as the model building process relies on historic data

Sistema de movimentação linear extensível com accionamentos electromecânicos sincronizados

Esta dissertação tem como objectivo estudar uma solução mecânica e eléctrica que permita anular o tempo de uma operação de não produção numa linha de prensagem instalada numa fábrica de indústria automóvel, a Autoeuropa. No início desta dissertação começa-se por encontrar uma solução de movimentadores telescópicos compatíveis com as restrições de espaço, os requisitos de sincronismo entre ambos e os objectivos de anulação do tempo de não operação. Seguidamente passou-se a uma fase de modelação do sistema mecânico, para permitir estudar o comportamento dinâmico do sistema proposto. Encontrado o movimentador mecânico adequado e feita a sua modelação foram estudadas possíveis soluções para o accionar, bem como formas de o controlar. Este sistema multimáquina foi estudado com dois tipos de máquinas eléctricas e métodos de controlo devido a necessitar de uma dinâmica bastante rápida, com exigência de grande sincronismo entre os dois movimentadores separados, e ainda com vista a tentar explorar a possibilidade de ter menor número de variadores electrónicos do que de máquinas eléctricas. Para tal recorreu-se ao ambiente Matlab para modelar e simular todo o sistema proposto nas suas variantes. Por fim são extraídas diversas conclusões, procurando-se clarificar a viabilidade da ideia e escolher a melhor opção de accionamento. No caso estudado, como o objectivo futuro é aplicar a solução proposta num ambiente industrial definido, há que ter em atenção não só a melhor opção técnica mas também o preço

Delayed intramural duodenal hematoma after a simple diagnostic endoscopic ultrasonography fine-needle aspiration procedure

A 65-year-old man was evaluated for a difficult-to-characterize pancreatic head mass in the setting of idiopathic chronic pancreatitis. He had no other relevant medical history and was not taking any anticoagulant or antiplatelet treatment. Endoscopic ultrasonography fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) failed to reveal neoplasm cells. A linear array echoendoscope (Olympus GF-UCT140, Center Valley, PA) was advanced up to the duodenal bulb, from which the head of the pancreas was visualized. After ensuring a vessel-free access to the pancreatic parenchyma, the FNA was performed using a 22G needle (Slimline 22G Handle Needle; Boston Scientific, Marlborough, MA) with a total of 3 passes (Figure 1). Three weeks after this procedure, the patient was admitted for hematemesis preceded by vomiting. On admission, his general physical examination was unremarkable except for jaundice. His blood tests showed no anemia; his platelet count, prothrombin time, amylase, and liver enzymes were within normal range, but his total bilirubin level was elevated (7.4 mg/dL). Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed Mallory-Weiss tears, an evident extrinsic compression of the knee, and the second portion of the duodenum, which could not be passed by the endoscope. The investigation by computed tomography and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography led to the diagnosis of an 11-cm intramural duodenal hematoma (IDH), leading to both gastric outlet and main biliary duct obstruction (Figure 2). The case was successfully managed with nasogastric decompression and exclusive parenteral feeding. Symptoms improved within 15 days, and cholestasis progressively disappeared.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Suplementação de iodo na gravidez: qual a importância?

ResumoPretende‐se aferir a importância do iodo e avaliar a pertinência da suplementação na gravidez. Fez‐se uma pesquisa na Medline e submeteram‐se os artigos encontrados aos critérios de seleção previamente definidos. Obtiveram‐se 294 artigos, aos quais se aplicaram os critérios de inclusão, resultando em 13 revisões e 19 artigos originais. Conclui‐se que quer o défice quer o excesso de iodo afetam negativamente a saúde do feto/recém‐nascido, sendo as consequências do défice mais graves. Recomenda‐se informar as mulheres, avaliar a sua ingestão alimentar e fazer um screening regular dos níveis de iodo. Mais estudos serão necessários relativamente ao timing de suplementação.AbstractWe intend to access the importance of iodine and to evaluate the relevance of supplementation in pregnancy. A search in Medline was performed and the obtained articles submitted to the selection criteria. Of the 294 studies we obtained, 13 reviews and 19 original studies were selected for further analysis. We concluded that both deficit and excess iodine negatively affect fetal/newborn health, being the consequences of the deficit the worst. We recommend to inform women, to evaluate their iodine ingestion and to regularly screen their iodine levels. Further research is necessary regarding the best timing for supplementation